Display apparatus



m m w id W "M 0 E m 5 .V T m m M 2 V Filed Nov. 9, 1953 H. W. TUCKER ET AL.

DISPLAY APPARATUQ Aug. 4, 1936.

Patented Aug. 4, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DISPLAY APPARATUS Application November 9, 1933, Serial No. 697,296

8 Claims.

This invention relates to display apparatus and is partieulary adapted to displaying pictures, signs and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved display apparatus for displaying flat articles, which will be attractive in appearance.

Another object is to provide an improved display apparatus which will be simple in construction.

Another object is to provide an improved display apparatus which will be economical to manufacture and easy to assemble.

Another object is to provide an improved display apparatus which will be readily angularly adjustable.

Other objects will hereinafter appear.

The invention will be better understood from the description of one practical embodiment thereof, adapted to display photographs, illus trated in the accompanying drawing, in which;

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus as assembled;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line IIII of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line III-III of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view, on a different scale, taken on the line IVIV of Figure 1; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view, on a still larger scale, similar to a portion of Figure 2.

The device illustrated consists of a base I shown as a generally rectangular hollow block having its upper edges cut to any desired ornamental design, as indicated at 2. Lengthwise of the block extends a vertical slot consisting of a downwardly flaring central portion 3 and substantially straight end portions 4, the central portion of the slot penetrating through the base, while the end portions do not extend all the way through, and so provide shoulders 5.

Resting upon these shoulders is a flat leaf spring 6 which presses upwardly a partially cylindrical spring clamping member I wedging it tightly within the inclined portion 3 of the slot.

Inserted within the lengthwise slot of the cylindrical member are two transparent panes 8 and 9, preferably of glass, and provided with lower beveled edges 10 to facilitate insertion within the cylindrical member. The panes hold between them one or more pictures or other articles to be displayed II and I2, and may hold one or two central colored background sheets l3, and mats I4 and 15. If the background sheets be used, it is preferable that the mats do not fill the entire space within the transparent panes and about the picture, but that they be provided with cutaway portions IB or the like through which the background may be viewed. The colored back ground sheet l3 may also be viewed through the apertures provided for pictures H and i2, when the device is on display for sale without pictures being inserted.

The lower edge of the central sheet or of one or both mats is provided with a thickened or spacer portion I! which lies between the lower edges of the panes and below the points I 8 on these panes where they are contacted'by the edges of cylindrical member 1, to provide a fulcrum, so that the pressure of member 1 will cause the upper edges of the panes to. press tightly against the pictures and sheets contained between them.

As indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 2, the panes may be tilted about the axis of the cylindrical member 1 and will be held in any position into which they are moved by friction of this member upon the inclined surfaces or the recess of base I.

The parts may be conveniently assembled by first inserting a cylindrical member into the recess, then inserting one end of the spring 6, sliding the spring endwise into the recess until the other end may be inserted, and then sliding the spring back until its ends are located by the shoulders 5a as illustrated in Figure 4.

The pictures, mats, backgrounds, and the like, are simply superimposed upon each other and thus placed between the panes which are then pressed downwardly to force their lower edges into the cylindrical member I. The manual pressure causes this member to move downwardly, flattening spring 6, thus creating the necessary clearance for expansion of spring I in flared chamber 3; the tapered edges of panes 8 and 9 expand cylindrical member I so that said panes can enter said cylindrical member, and be secured by it; after which, on release of the manual pressure, the resiliency of spring 6 forces spring I and the clamped panes upward to the final position in the chamber.

It will thus be seen that the changing of the pictures or mats is a very simple process, requiring nothing but the removal of the panes and sheets from the base, rearrangement and their re-insertion, all of which may be done manually and with very little time and effort.

The panes are tightly held together and readily adjustable into any angular position desired, being limited only by the edges of the slot.

It will be obvious that one of the panes might be replaced by a silvered pane acting as a mirror, or by a metal or other rigid back and that the frame may be used to display only an article on one side instead of articles on both sides, and it will also be obvious that with a small variety of mats, pictures of various sizes may be eifectively displayed with a single frame, and different color combinations easily achieved,

While we have described an illustrated embodi- 7 ment of our invention in some particularity, obviously many others will readily occur to those skilled in this art, and we do not, therefore, limit ourselves to the precise details shown and'described but claim as our invention all embodiments, variations and modifications thereof com ing within the scope of the appended claims. 7

We claim:

1. Display apparatus comprising a rigid transparent member, a second rigid member, an article to be displayed positioned between said members, clamping means clamping said members together adjacent one edge only, and a spacer between said rigid members and between said clamping means and said edge.

2. Display apparatus comprising a rigid transparent member, a second rigid member, said members being polygonal in form and substantially coextensive with each other, an article to be displayed positioned between said members, clamping means clamping said members together adjacent one edge of each of them and clearing the other edges of each of them, and a spacer between said rigid members and between said clamping means and said first mentioned edge.

3. Display apparatus comprising a rigid transparent member, a second rigid member, said members being polygonal in form and substantially coextensive with each other, an article to be displayed positioned between said members, clamping means clamping said members together adjacent one edge of each of them and clearing the other edges of each of them, a spacer only between the clamping means and the edges of said members adjacent said clamping means, and a background positioned between said members and behind said article, and projecting beyond the edges of said article.

4. Display apparatus comprising a rigid transparent member, a second rigid member, said members being polygonal in form and substantially coextensive with each other, an article to be displayed positioned between said members, clamping means clamping said members together adjacent one edge of each of them and clearing the other edges of each of them, a spacer only between the clamping means and the edges of said members adjacent said clamping means, a background positioned between said members and behind said article and projecting beyond the edges of said article, and a mat between said members and overlying parts of said article and clearing parts of said article, said mat clearing portions of said background.

5. Display apparatus comprising a base having a tapering prismatic slot, a clamping member within the slot, resilient means pressing the clamping member against the Walls of the slot,

and two flat rigid sheets extending into the slot and engaged adjacent one edge by the clamping member.

6. Display apparatus comprising a base having a tapering prismatic slot, a trunnion-like clamping member within the slot, resilient means pressing the clamping member against the walls of the slot, and two flat rigid sheets extending into the slot and engaged adjacent one edge by the clamping member.

, 7. A display device comprising a base having a vertical slot extending therethrough, the sides of the slot throughout part of its extent converging upwardly, recesses forming continuations of the slot, a slit tubular clamping member within the slot, resilient means extending into said recesses and urging said tubular clamping member upwardly, and a flat rigid member engaged adjacent one edge by said tubular clamping member and. extending upwardly from the slot.

8. A display device comprising a base having a vertical slot extending therethrough, the sides of the slot throughout part of its extent converging upwardly, recesses forming continuations of the slot, a slit tubular clamping member within the slot, resilient means extending into said recesses and urging said tubular clamping member upwardly, and a fiat rigid member engaged adjacent one edge by said tubular clamping member and extending upwardly from the slot, the upper portion of the slot being substantially wider than said flat rigid member whereby it may be adjustably tilted.

HARRY W. TUCKER. WILLIAM S. McLEISI-I. 

